Military aircraft are provided with bomb racks attached to pylons on the underside of the wings and the fuselage for the carrying of bombs, rockets, and other stores. The operation of the mechanism in the bomb rack for release and ejection of the stores from the bomb rack may be by gas pressure. The gas pressure can be generated by an explosive cartridge. In the prior art bomb racks, the cartridge is held in position for use by a cylindrical threaded cartridge holder. Visual examination of the prior art holder did not reveal the presence of a cartridge in the holder and it was necessary to unscrew and remove the holder to determine if a cartridge was present. Upon firing of a cartridge to operate the mechanism in the bomb rack, the cartridge case would expand or obturate and freeze in the prior art holder making the spent cartridge case removal difficult.
A principal object of the inventive holder is to provide a visual indication of the presence of a cartridge in the bomb rack.
Another object of the inventive holder is to simplify the removal of an expanded or discharged cartridge.
The above objects and others are achieved by providing the cartridge holder with a modified internal configuration, spring-loaded spool and external indicator. The cartridge is placed in the holder against the spool and as the holder is threaded into position in the bomb rack breech, the cartridge case bears against the spool compressing the spring. As the spool is forced further into the holder against the spring, an indicator is exposed on the outside of the holder indicating a cartridge is present. After the cartridge is fired, the cartridge holder is removed from the bomb rack breech. The force of the spring behind the spool assists in ejection of the cartridge from the holder. By altering the internal configuration of the cylindrical cartridge holder by enlarging the diameter of the open end of the holder, removal of an expended cartridge is facilitated.